Robert E.L. Gatesman

Robert Eugene Linsey Gatesman, 84, a resident of Oil City, passed away at the Hospice unit in the Erie Veteran Administration Medical Center on Friday, June 14, 2024 after a short illness. He was born on March 23, 1940 in the Oil City Hospital, the son of Dorothea Mae Linsey.  During the first four years of his life, his grandmother Minnie B. (Cornell) Linsey lovingly raised him while his mother attended nursing school. In November 1944 he was adopted by his step-father Clarence Henry Gatesman, a widower with three children. He became the youngest of four children after having been an only child and was raised on Riverside Drive.

He first attended St. Stephen Elementary School and was taught by the Benedictine Nuns, and later attended St. Joseph High School. He graduated in 1958. The following year Robert joined the United States Air Force, receiving basic training at Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas. Afterward he attended the U.S. State Department School of Languages at Fort Myer in Arlington, VA where he studied the Indonesian language and cross-trained as a Radio Intercept Analyst. Robert spent one and a half years serving at Clark Air Force Base in The Philippines. He was honorably discharged in 1962 as an Airman 1st Class, serving with the 6925th Radio Group Mobile for the United States Air Force Security Service. He was awarded a good conduct medal.

After returning to Oil City, Robert worked for Jones Taxi Service. He later worked at The Derrick at the Proof Desk and he was moved to Derrick wire. On May 8, 1965, he married Carol Ann Pilewski and they had two children, Susan and Craig Gatesman. The family relocated to Erie PA where Robert was hired as a writer for the Erie Times-News. 

In 1970 the family moved to Berkeley CA. Robert and Carol were later divorced. He lived in San Francisco and worked a variety of jobs, including caregiving for the elderly. His last job was at the Field Research Institute as a telephone interviewer. After the death of his mother who also lived in San Francisco,  he returned in 2001 and purchased a home near Riverside Drive. Robert remembered delivering papers to the house as a boy, enjoying the walk up its long steps before he would carefully place the newspaper on the doormat rather than tossing it up the stairs.

His eldest granddaughter lovingly called him “Hippie Grandpa” for his eclectic style and carefree sense of being and his grandchildren have fondly used it since. He took delight in seeing flowers and trees, in visits from birds, squirrels, raccoons, and bears that would visit his backyard, and even cared for many stray cats who paid a visit and would instead find a home. Robert loved to take walks through the forest and area parks, saw the beauty in nature, and loved to listen to classical music. He wrote letters to mail to his family in remarkable penmanship and loved to talk on the phone for hours.

Robert was preceded in death by grandparents George William & Minnie Belle (Cornell) Linsey, adoptive father Clarence Henry Gatesman, mother Dorothea Mae (Linsey) Gatesman Ford. He was also preceded in death by his step-brother James Gatesman and step-sister Marilyn (Gatesman) Hopwood, and his close friends Doug Norde and Jimmy Briggs.

Survivors include children Susan (Gatesman) Bidell and husband Robert; Craig Gatesman, grandchildren Emily (Bryan) Grotts, Grace Bidell, Gabriel Bidell, Joseph Gatesman, and Ava Gatesman, and great-grandchildren Wesley Grotts and Daniel Grotts, all of Phoenix, AZ and his step-sister Lois Hepfinger of Troy, NY. Also his nieces and nephews Mark Hopwood, Debbie Hopwood, Karen Gatesman, Linda Gatesman and Jim Gatesman Jr., cousins Mike & Cristy Drusko.  His dear friends Regis & Ginny Sabol, Alain Zahler, Chuck & Mary Norris, Lee Echenoz, and Penny Whitman, are also acknowledged. Much appreciation to Miriam McMullen-Pastrick who was our “Erie Angel” and was with Dad in his final weeks. 

Special thanks to all who cared for our Dad over the years, especially the VA nurses, aides, UPMC ICU, UPMC 3rd Floor South, and Erie VA Hospice. You all helped Dad in various ways and we are so grateful. 

Memorial services will be at the convenience of the family, in Oil City next month and in the fall, which will include inurnment with military honors at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, AZ.

The Reinsel Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Condolences may be sent at www.reinselfuneralhome.com

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